Joseph Parker says it's going to be no easy feat beating Romanian Razvan Cojanu in his WBO World Heavyweight title defence.
Razvan Cojanu (L) and Joseph Parker face off during a press conference ahead of the WBO world heavyweight championship boxing title fight scheduled for May 6. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Less than 48 hours after Hughie Fury pulled out of the fight against Parker, a new contender Romanian Razvan Cojanu touched down in Auckland this morning.
Cojanu who is ranked 14th is a significant step down in class from the unbeaten Fury.
It's clearly a drop in quality of fight but Parker is not seeing it that way.
"We've been in two training camps together in the last four years so he knows how i fight he has seen me train.
"The way i see this fight is that it's more dangerous than the Fury fight because he has power, he knows how i fight so i'm looking forward to seeing who will figure each other out first in the ring."
Parker said he's been training hard but admits he has had to change tact now he's got a new taller component.
"My focus is just purely being prepared, training hard being 100 percent physically and mentally, i'm looking forward to being in the ring letting my hands go and hopefully hitting someone."
Razvan Cojanu who's had 300 amateur fights says he knows Parker's mistakes and is ready to take him on in the ring.
"I know a lot his strategies which he has used in the past and which he wanted to use against Fury.
"I know him and i know myself, in camps I only gave 50,60,70 percent but in the fight I am going to go 100 percent," Cojanu said.
Parker's coach Kevin Barry said the fact the pair have trained together could give Cojanu the upper hand.
"Razvan probably knows more about Joe than any other opponent he has fought,
this is not someone who is not experienced, this is a risky fight for me because of those circumstances."
Fight moved to smaller venue
Fight promoter Duco have moved the May 6th fight from Spark Arena which holds 12,000 people to the much smaller 3,000 seat Manukau Events Centre.
Spokesman David Higgins said the decision was an easy one as the costs are a lot lower.
"It's been a hectic week we've had to jump through a lot of hoops but we've managed to pull things together and the fight is going ahead with a new opponent.
"To the fans I want to acknowledge there has been a change and out of respect for them we would never put a bunny up we would rather pull the pin and cancel the show."
Duco Events David Higgins Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Higgins said some sponsors have pulled out but new ones have stepped up to the mark.
"Tickets are already sold will be honored and the pay for view will actually be $10 cheaper than when Parker won the title in December."
Pay for view will be $49.95 but Higgins said it's not because it is a weaker fight.
"If I was going to drop the price any lower that would undermine the fight, it would say to the market this isn't as good as the previous opponent but it is, this guy is just as good as Fury and this is a world title fight," Higgins said.
-RNZ
